Championship Central
Day 1 Results
OXFORD, Ohio. - With six events complete on both the men and women's side, Miami and Kent State respectively stand on top of the 2021 Mid-American Conference outdoor Track & Field Championship leader board.
William Hilbert gave the Buffalo Bulls the early lead on the men's side as he would win the 10,000-meter run in a new school record time of 29:33.88. Scott Loforte finished in fifth place in 30:04.78 with Armani Merlino capturing sixth place in 30:35.48. Hilbert now ranks 39th in the NCAA East Region. The team racked up 13 points in the event.
For the 11th consecutive MAC Outdoor Championship, the Bulls will take home the gold medal in the men's shot put dating back to the 2010 outdoor season. Jonathan Surdej was crowned as the shot put champion as he had a personal best distance of 17.77-meters (58'-03.75"). He is now 44th in the NCAA East Region.
NIU Junior Ashley Tutt (Channahon, Ill./Minooka) started the day with a title in the 10,000 meters and junior Jazmyn Smith (Pinecrest, Fla./Gulliver Prep) finished the day by taking the crown in the long jump as the Northern Illinois University women's track and field team opened competition.
The 3000-meter steeplechase was a highlight for the leading Miami RedHawks as Charlie Harders claimed the title in the event with a time of 9:09.05. Conall McGinness was right behind Harders, taking third in 9:19.15.
The Toledo Rockets had a victorious Day One at the Mid-American Outdoor Championships with Semra Karaslan winning her first MAC title placing first in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 10:17.40 (10 points).
Quiara Wheeler of Central Michigan won the hammer throw and broke her own program record on Friday in leading the CMU track & field team to a second place finish after the first day of the MAC Championships.
Wheeler, a junior who in March earned All-America honors in the weight throw at the NCAA Indoor Championships, threw the hammer 63.27 meters (207 feet, 7 inches) on Friday to claim her first MAC Outdoor title. She set her previous CMU record of 63.01 meters (206-9) in 2019.
Kent State Freshman Leah Pasqualetti continued her phenomenal first season to highlight the day for the Golden Flashes. Pasqualetti, already the indoor and outdoor school record holder and the 2021 MAC indoor pole vault champion, completed her sweep of the 2021 pole vault titles. She cleared 13' 5.75" to secure the win before attempting and missing at 13' 11.75".
The other Kent State athlete to win a title on day one was Grace Tennant, who captured the javelin crown with a personal best throw of 151' 3". The win on Friday will give Tennant plenty of momentum for Saturday where she will compete in the shot put and discus.
The 2021 MAC Ourtoor Track and Field Championship continues tomorrow at 9:30 AM. with the men's hammer throw.
Men's Standings
1) Miami (Ohio) - 47
2) Buffalo - 45.50
3) Eastern Michigan - 45
4) Akron - 32.50
5) Kent State - 16
Women's Standings
1) Kent State - 36
2) Central Michigan - 33
3) Northern Illinois - 30
3) Miami (Ohio) - 30
5) Toledo - 28
6) Eastern Michigan - 26
7) Akron - 21.50
8) Ohio - 11
9) Western Michigan - 9
10) Buffalo - 3.50
11) Ball State - 3
11) Bowling Green - 3
